Video shows Jets TE Tyler Conklin may have cost team ‘SNF’ win vs. Raiders
There were plenty of moments the New York Jets could point to for losing Sunday’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders, but one in particular stands out above the others.
On the final play of the game, Jets quarterback Zach Wilson was flushed from the pocket and forced to roll out to his left. As he was chased by Raiders edge-rusher Maxx Crosby, Wilson uncorked a 44-yard Hail Mary pass that appeared to be heading right into the hands of star receiver Garrett Wilson.
That was until Jets tight end Tyler Conklin leaped in the air between Wilson and Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig and swatted the ball away, preventing Wilson from coming down with the would-be winning touchdown.
Wilson and Conklin were the Jets' two most productive pass catchers on Sunday. The former led the team with nine receptions for 93 yards and the latter logged seven receptions for 70 yards. However, they couldn’t get on the same page when it mattered most.
Had Wilson caught the Hail Mary, the Jets would be 5-5 and just 1.5 games behind the Miami Dolphins and half-game behind the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. Instead, they’re now 4-5 and trail Miami by two games and Buffalo by one, which is coincidentally New York’s next two opponents.
Conklin’s pass breakup also prevented the Jets offense from snapping an 11-quarter drought without a touchdown. The last time New York scored a touchdown was three weeks ago in the first quarter of a 13-10 win over the New York Giants — a 50-yard touchdown pass from Wilson to Breece Hall.
Since that score, the Jets have gone 35 straight possessions without reaching the end zone. Those drives have ended with 20 punts, eight field goals, four fumbles, an interception and a turnover-on-downs.
“I don’t know what y’all want me to say, man,” Wilson told reporters after the game. “I’m tired of this, man. I want to play better. The whole offense wants to play better. We’ve been saying what we’ve been trying to do. We come out every week trying to make it happen. It’s frustrating.”
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